Apple Eyes Move Into Mobile Payments

The business of handling mobile payments is one of the hottest areas in technology. Now, it appears that Apple is preparing to toss its hat in the ring.

Eddy Cue, a key lieutenant to Apple CEO Tim Cook, has been meeting with players in the mobile-payments industry to discuss the company’s interest in handling payments made on iPhones and iPads, according to people familiar with the situation.

Apple also moved a senior retail executive from its online operations into a new division created to build a payments business, these people said.